• By Travelspoc

Christmas Island

Beleive it or not Christmas Island, actually has nothing to do with the Holiday Season of Christmas. A small, non self-governing Territory of Australia, the Territory of Christmas Island is  located in the Indian Ocean, approximately 2360 km northwest of Perth Australia. Only about 1500 residents live on Christmas Island. Christmas Island is of immense interest to scientists and naturalists due to it’s unique natural topography and is it’s large number of species that have evolved in isolation. Not only isolation but also undisturbed by human activity. While some mining activity has gone on the island for the past many years. Over 60 percent of the island’s 135 square kilometres is now National Park. There is also several large areas of pristine and ancient rainforest.

No one is really sure who discovered Christmas Island. All we know is that it is first published on a map produced by Pieter Goos, in 1666. On the map the island was named Moni. The earliest recorded visit to the island is by William Dampier, in March of 1688. William Dampier found the island uninhabited. William Dampier’s was traveling from New Holland trying to reach Cocos. Apparently his ship was pulled way off course to the east and after travelling for 28 days, he arrived at Christmas Island.